Sustainable Development in Arid Lands: Climate, Water, Natural Processes and Human Activities

I. Context

Arid and semi-arid regions occupy a significant portion of the Earth’s surface and are highly vulnerable to climate change, environmental degradation, and increasing anthropogenic pressure. Climate change is significantly transforming environmental systems in these regions, affecting ecosystems, water availability, land resources, and socio-economic stability. At the same time, unsustainable land use, rapid urbanization, and resource exploitation intensify environmental risks and reduce resilience.

Addressing these challenges requires integrated and interdisciplinary approaches combining environmental geography, natural sciences, and geospatial technologies. Modern tools such as GIS, remote sensing, and data-driven methods enable advanced environmental monitoring, risk assessment, and evidence-based decision-making.

This Special Issue aims to bring together original research and review papers that explore the interactions between climate change, natural processes, and human activities in arid and semi-arid regions. Particular attention is given to sustainable land and water management, environmental monitoring, ecosystem conservation, and environmental sustainability.

By integrating diverse scientific perspectives, the Special Issue seeks to advance knowledge and support practical solutions for sustainable development and resilience in arid lands.

II. Topics

The topics of the special issue include but are not limited to the following:

(I) Climate change and environmental geography of arid and semi-arid regions

(II) Water resources assessment, management and water security under climate variability

(III) Land use, land degradation and sustainable land management in arid environments

(IV) Geospatial technologies for environmental monitoring and risk assessment

(V) Ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability in drylands

(VI) Other topics related to the ecosystem and sustainable development in Arid Lands

III. About the Journal of Arid Land

The Journal of Arid Land is an international peer-reviewed journal co-sponsored by Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Science Press and China Society of Natural Resources.

The journal covers such topics as the dynamics of natural resources (including water, soil and land, organism and climate), the security and sustainable development of natural resources, and the environment and the ecology in arid and semi-arid areas. Coverage extends to interactions among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere, and relationships between these natural processes and human activities. The journal also discusses the patterns of geography, ecology and environment; ecological improvement and environmental protection; and regional responses and feedback mechanisms to global change.

IV. Guest Editor Team

Prof. Dr. (Acting) Gulnur Isanova, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan (Email: Gulnura.Issanova@kaznu.edu.kz)

Dr. Chunlan Li, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (Email: lichunlan@ms.xjb.ac.cn)

Prof. Dr. Dongwei Liu, Inner Mongolia University, China (Email: liudw@imu.edu.cn)

Dr. Ainur Mussina, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan (Email: Ainur.Musina@kaznu.edu.kz)

Dr. Lingxiao Sun, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (Email: sunlx@ms.xjb.ac.cn)

Prof. Dr. Tamara Tazhibayeva, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan (Email: Tamara.Tazhibayeva@kaznu.edu.kz)

Prof. Dr. Yang Yu, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (Email: yuyang@ms.xjb.ac.cn)

V. Submission of Full Papers

The Guest Editor Team invites both original research papers and review papers that fit within the scope outlined in this document. The focus of the submitted papers should lie on sustainable development in arid lands: climate, water, natural processes and human activities.

Please carefully read and follow the instructions for authors which you may find online at

http://jal.xjegi.com/EN/column/column7.shtml

Before submitting paper, please create a user account and then submit all relevant files online at

https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/xjjal

Manuscripts can be submitted during the following time frame:

OPENING: 15 April 2026

DEADLINE: 31 September 2026